Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Book:  Hunger
Author:  Jackie Morse Kessler
Published:  October 18, 2010 from Graphia
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/180

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  Yes.  First book.

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Hunger is a very unique debut for the YA market.  Jackie Morse Kessler tackles the subject of anorexia head on and her approach was one unlike anything I have ever read.  This series has some serious potential and I am excited to see where she takes it with the next book.

Lisabeth Lewis is anorexic.  She won't admit it but she is.  Food has become the defining factor in her life and it's becoming too much.  When she attempts suicide Death comes to her but it's not quite what she expected.  Instead of bringing her eternal slumber he brings her a set of scales and announces that she is Famine.  Lisa thinks its a dream until the scales appear to her the next day and a black steed eats all her mothers flowers.  Now Lisa's job is to bring hunger and destruction to all but she can't even handle her own hunger.  Will she tackle her challenge or will life end up being too much for her?

I'm going to be frank.  I didn't like Lisa until the very end of the book.  She was weak and she couldn't see how much her family and friends cared for her.  And she couldn't see how bad an influence Tammy was on her.  It was hard to read everything she thought because she is not a character that you can agree with.  The feeling that I had for her for most of the book was pity.  I just felt sorry for her and I couldn't really get past that.  I also couldn't really get into the other characters either.  I wanted more of them.  I felt that I didn't know them at all and so it was hard to decide whether I liked them or hated them.  I did like James though.  He truly cared for Lisa and he was so sweet.

The subject of anorexia was addressed very well in Hunger.  I was surprised at how brutally honest Jackie Morse Kessler was in tackling this subject but I am so glad that she hit it head on.  Everything about Lisa's anorexia was real.  It didn't have to be forced and Jackie Morse Kessler showed her knowledge about the problem through that.  At times I honestly wanted to cry for Lisa.  Her story was so heartbreaking and it's terrible to know that there are so many people out there dealing with the same struggle every day of their lives.  I feel more informed about the problem after reading Hunger.

Overall, Hunger is a great YA debut from Jackie Morse Kessler and I am excited to read the next book in the series.  I know it's going to be hard to get into another book after this one.

First line:  Lisabeth Lewis didn't mean to become Famine.

Writing:  5

Characters:  4

Plot:  4

Ending:  4

Originality:  5

Overall:  22=B+

Cover:  5=A++

CSN Preferred Blogger!

As all of you know, I love CSN Stores.  When I received an email from the promo team asking if I would like to do another review for them, I jumped at the chance.  They have everything you could possibly want at one of their stores and one of the sling backpacks may be just what I need for my next semester of school.

There is this one that I love.  Blue is one of my favorite colors.

There is also this one though.  Black goes with everything.

CSN has so many options, I have no clue which one I will pick.  Their site is absolutely wonderful and I love checking out their products.  Maybe if I don't get myself a backpack I can get one of my friends a Christmas gift.  I know I could find a ton of stuff that my friends would love.

I will be reviewing a CSN product very soon but until then, check out their site.  Maybe you can get some of your Christmas shopping done too.

In My Mailbox 90 (week of November 27)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades. =]

For review:

-Wither by Lauren DeStefano
-Teenage Waistland by Lynn Biederman and Lisa Pazer
-Wish by Joseph Monninger
-The Fortune Of Carmen Navarro by Jen Bryant
-Trackers 2: Shantorian by Patrick Carman

Bought/trades/gifts:

-An Off Year by Claire Zulkey
-I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
-Echoes by Melinda Metz
-Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
-Lockdown: Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith
-Before, After, And Somebody In Between by Jeannine Garsee
-Night Star by Alyson Noel
-A Chalice Of Wind (Balefire #1) by Cate Tiernan
-A Circle Of Ashes (Balefire #2) by Cate Tiernan
-A Feather Of Stone (Balefire #3) by Cate Tiernan
-A Necklace Of Water (Balefire #4) by Cate Tiernan
-Eagle Strike (Alex Rider #4) by Anthony Horowitz
-Doomed Queen Anne by Carolyn Meyer

I am finally reading again which means new reviews for you guys.  Yay!  =]

I got a ton of books this week from the thrift store and trades and the lovely Erica from The Book Cellar sent me some for my birthday.  I love her and her blog so if you haven't already, check it out!  

What was in your mailbox this week?

Blog Tour: Interview With Antony John

Antony John is the author of a many young adult books including the recently released, Five Flavors Of Dumb.  Five Flavors Of Dumb was released on November 11, 2010 from Dial Books.

KBB: What inspired you to write Five Flavors Of Dumb?

AJ: Hi Katie! Well, I used to be a professional musician, so I wanted to write a book about music: specifically, rock music. I also knew I wanted to set the book in Seattle, because it has a crazy rock history with people like Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. Trouble was, I wasn’t exactly sure what kind of book it should be. Then my wife suggested I write about rock music from the point-of-view of a deaf person. Straight away I knew it was the book I had to write.

Of course, that’s when the research began. And believe me, there was a LOT of it. But the more research I did, the more I truly understood the main character, Piper. From there, it almost felt like the story wrote itself.

KBB: What do you consider the hardest part of writing?

AJ: Finding time! Starting last month, I have two hours each morning to write, which is fantastic, but it’s not enough. I have several projects on the go, and I need time to immerse myself in them, and get situated in that story’s world. Still, I’m not complaining. I get to write AND spend time with my kids every day. It’s a dream.

The other thing that’s hard for all writers, I think, is finding the heart of the story. Plot is important. Drama is important. Conflict is crucial. But they’re not enough if the story lacks heart. We have to believe in the main character and we have to care. It takes time to discover how best to convey that in a novel. But it’s vital.

KBB: Do you have a favorite character from your book? If so, why that one?

AJ: Piper is my favorite character, without a doubt. She has some of my high-school hang-ups, and she’s far from perfect, but she never stops fighting. And when the time comes to take control, she swallows her fear and dives in headfirst. Every time I read a passage from DUMB I find myself rooting for her all over again. Which is a good sign, I think.

KBB: I love the cover for Five Flavors Of Dumb. Did you have any say about it? What do you think of it?

AJ: That’s great. You know, it seems that EVERYONE loves the cover, including me. And no, I didn’t have any say in it, partly because I didn’t want to have any say. I’m not an artist or designer, and I think that sometimes it’s best to leave these things to people who actually know what they’re doing. But I have to say, it was the nicest surprise when I finally saw what Kristin Smith (the cover designer) had come up with. She perfectly captured the feel of the book: the grunge atmosphere, the madness of it all.

By the way, if anyone is interested in reading a REALLY detailed account of the cover, and how it came about, there’s a series of posts on it at That Cover Girl blog. Here are the links:

http://thatcovergirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/cover-love-five-flavors-of-dumb/

http://thatcovergirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/authorthoughts-antony-john-five-flavors-of-dumb/

http://thatcovergirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/behind-the-design-kristin-smith-five-flavors-of-dumb/

KBB: Can you tell us anything about what you are currently working on? Any more YA novels in the plans?

AJ: Oh, yeah. Definitely. After DUMB, the next YA will be coming out around spring 2012. It’s called THE HALLELUJAH BOOK TOUR, and is the story of a boy who writes a spiritual self-help book that becomes a bestseller. He’s then sent on a promotional tour, but things don’t exactly go as planned, particularly when a former crush joins him on the road trip.

After that, around fall 2012, the first book in my ELEMENTAL trilogy will be released. It’s set in a dystopian colony of the United States where everyone is born with powers of the elements—earth, water, wind, and fire—except for one boy who is powerless . . . or is he? I’m so psyched about it I can barely see straight.

KBB: Just for fun: Is there a YA book that you would recommend reading. It can be an older release, new release, or even a book that isn’t out yet that you have had the chance to read.

AJ: I wish everyone would read HOW I LIVE NOW by Meg Rosoff. That book just blew me away when I read it. There were literally moments when I was holding my breath. It’s incredibly intense. Also, the voice is electrifying. Oh yeah, and did I mention that the author manages to tell the epic story in less than 50,000 words (i.e. it’s quite short for YA). I won’t even try to give a synopsis, because I’ll never do the book justice, but everyone should read it. In my opinion, it’s a classic.

KBB: I actually have been meaning to read How I Live Now so I will have to check it out soon.

Thanks so much for the interview, Antony!

Readers if you want to know more about Antony and his books you can find him on the web.

Website: http://antonyjohn.net/

Blog Tour: Five Flavors Of Dumb by Antony John

Book:  Five Flavors Of Dumb
Author:  Antony John
Published:  November 11, 2010 from Dial
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/352

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  Nope.

The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.

The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.

The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?

Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.

Five Flavors Of Dumb is a refreshingly unique story that I absolutely adored.  The story, the characters, the humor, it was all fabulous.  Antony John is a fantastic author and I am dying to check out his other books now.

Piper didn't plan to become Dumb's manager.  When she found out that her parents raided her college fund to pay for her baby sister's cochlear implant she just had to do something.  Ever since she went deaf Piper has dreamed of going to Gallaudet but if she can't get that money, there is no way.  She didn't even take into consideration the fact that Dumb couldn't really play, she couldn't really hear them, and they couldn't really stand her.  Can Piper really manage to get Dumb a paying gig in just one month or is she in over her head?

I loved Piper.  Actually I kind of loved all the characters.  She was smart, Finn was a misunderstood troublemaker, Ed was a sweetheart, Josh was a crazy egomaniac, Tash was just plain crazy, Kallie was a pretty girl with a heart of gold, and Will was just kind of a silent rocker.  It was a fun mix of people that just went really well together.  They made one pretty horrible band to begin with but it was fun to see them grow, especially Piper.  She really needed to come out of her shell and Dumb helped her do that.

The plot was pretty comical.  Getting a paying gig for Dumb was no easy task but Piper tackled it head on. It was funny to see what ideas she had and how she finally grew a backbone.  She didn't know how to insert her opinions into the group because she was so afraid of what everyone thought of her but the real Piper only started to show when she stopped caring.  I loved her after that.

Overall, Five Flavors Of Dumb has a little something for everybody.  It's such an easy book to relate to and I think teens will love it because of that.

First line:  For the record, I wasn't around the day they decided to become Dumb.

Writing:  5

Characters:  5

Plot:  4

Ending:  4

Originality:  5

Overall:  23=A-

Cover:  5=A++

Jane by April Lindner

Book:  Jane
Author:  April Lindner
Published:  October 11, 2010 from Poppy
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/384

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  No.

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, an iconic rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer, and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is tested by a torturous secret from his past.

Wow!  Just plain wow.  Jane is one of the best young adult romances I have ever read and that is saying something.  I absolutely adored it and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I finished it.  I wish it had never ended.

Jane Moore has no money, no job, and no place to live.  The only job she can get is as the nanny to the five-year-old daughter of rock star Nico Rathburn.  Jane is skeptical after reading Nico's crazy history but she can't turn the job down.  Once she meets the staff of Thornfield Park and Madeline, Nico's daughter, she no longer wants to quit.  Nico though is a whole different matter.  He is not at all what Jane expected and soon she finds herself growing to like him.  Maybe even more than like.  There is just one problem.  Nico is hiding something, something big.  Can their love survive Nico's lies or will it prove to be too much?

I am kind of lost as to what to say about Jane.  I don't have anything bad to say about it but I don't even know where to begin about all the good stuff.  I guess I will just start with Jane herself.  She is not typical at all.  Instead of giving up after losing her family, her home, her schooling, and her money she sets out to find a new job and begin saving her money so she can go back to school.  She doesn't let the fact that Madeline doesn't like her in the beginning stop her from taking charge.  She also doesn't care that Nico is famous.  She cares that he is Madeline's father and she shows him how to be more of a father to his daughter.  She is a kind, smart, funny heroine.  Nico is a darker character than Jane but that is because of his past.  He has problems but he was still a good dad and he grew to be more mature and caring throughout the book.  I thought he was mysterious, sexy, and an all around good guy.

Now if you have read Jane Eyre, which I have, you will kind of be able to guess what Nico's secret is.  The mystery won't really be there as much but I still found it intriguing.  I didn't feel that knowing what happened in the original story took away from the joy of reading this retelling.  The characters were different, the time period was different, everything was different.  The fact that the mystery wasn't a surprise did not matter to me at all.

Overall,  Jane is a book that I can't praise enough.  Romance lovers everywhere need to read this one and I can't wait to recommend it to all my friends.  I'm going to stop gushing now but that's just so you guys can go out and get your own copy.  =]

First line:  The chairs in the lobby of Discriminating Nannies, Inc., were less comfortable than they looked.

Writing:  5

Characters:  5

Plot:  5

Ending:  5

Originality:  5

Overall:  25=A++

Cover:  5=A++

In My Mailbox 89 (week of November 20)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades. =]

For review:
-The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
-Human Blend by Lori Pescatore

Trades/borrow:
-Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Vigue
-Where She Went (If I Stay #2) by Gayle Forman

Slow week for me so there are no pictures but I am excited to read what I did get.  I haven't been reading very much lately because finals are next week but after that I am done with school for the semester and I plan to do a ton of reading.  I now have a ton of books to choose from so if you have suggestions leave them in the comments and I will try to add some of them to my pile.  =]

What was in your mailbox this week?

Winter Longing by Tricia Mills

Book:  Winter Longing
Author:  Tricia Mills
Published:  August 19, 2010 from Razorbill
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/256

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  Nope.

A plane crash in Alaska takes Winter’s first love away forever . . .

When Winter's boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she's robbed of the future she'd only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one another. And after his death, Spencer's presence continues to haunt her.

But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can't change. Can she open herself to a new future . . . and a possible new love?

Tricia Mill's sophomore YA novel is just as good as her debut.  Since I first heard about it I have been dying to read it and I was not at all disappointed.

Winter Craig finally screwed up her courage and told Spencer her feelings.  She has been in love with him since second grade and it seems like maybe he has had feelings for her for a while too.  But the day after their first kiss Spencer is killed in a plane crash and Winter is devastated.  She doesn't know how to move on with her life and she doesn't really want to because that would mean leaving Spencer behind.  But what happens when the boy next door starts to be more than that?

Winter Longing was a sad book but an easy one to read.  I never felt overly depressed and I felt like it wasn't all about Spencer's death.  Winter had some problems getting on with her life but I felt it wasn't overdone.  She was strong enough not to retreat into herself and just give up.  I felt that her family, her best friend Lindsay, and boy-next-door Jesse really helped with that.  Jesse did have the patience of a saint though.  Winter took a lot of time moving on but he was always there to help.

Sadly, there didn't seem to be a whole lot of plot to the book.  I'm not saying that it dragged but there just didn't seem to be anything major going on.  That may have been used to lighten the mood but I wanted the story to go somewhere and it didn't really.

Overall, Winter Longing is a great book if you are looking for romance and nothing more.  I honestly did enjoy it and Tricia Mills is still on my list of authors to read.  I can't wait to see what she does next.  =]

First line:  The drone of a plane engine stopped me in my tracks, and adrenaline surged through my veins.

Writing:  5

Characters:  4

Plot:  4

Ending:  4

Originality:  4

Overall:  22=B+

Cover:  4=B-

Blog Tour: Brenda Pandos' Top Ten List!

Welcome to the next stop on the blog tour for The Sapphire Talisman.  The Talisman series is one of my new favorites and I am so excited to be a part of this tour.  Brenda Pandos is an amazing author and I today I get to share with you some insider information about both of her books.

Top Ten List

For my top 10 list, I thought it would be more fun to post 10 mementos I’ve hidden in my books.

1. Julia is actually a name I would have given my daughter if I had one. God gave us two boys, so she’s been birthed in my book instead.
2. My brother did purchase a Quantum to turn into a veggie mobile, but it was vandalized beyond repair and never ran reliably.
3. “Sleeper-wave eyebrows” was coined by my siblings because my dad’s eyebrows would resemble these when he would get angry.
4. Harry is inspired by my Grandfather and my father-in-law (who loves Dirty Harry movies). Grandpa Jack told me once I was an Annie Oakley when I was a good shot with his gun. I miss him dearly.
5. I hate the word ‘moist’. It’s included once for those to have a laugh because they know I hate that word.
6. I’ve never had a fish pedicure and surprisingly, only one blogger has ever commented or asked me about it.
7. My sister-in-law Samantha plays the part of Julia in my book trailer. I didn’t know Samantha when writing the first book. It’s great to have a real Sam in my life now.
8. I use birthday/anniversaries for the numbers in my addresses.
9. Both my children’s names are in the book in one form or another, and my husband has a very distinct cleft chin. There’s a character with that mentioned.
10. Scarlet is named from a friend’s daughter whose encouragement I will always treasure.

I love special tokens that remind me of special times/places in my life (like Julia and Nicholas do with the broken piece of wood with the heart). Part of the fun in the freedom of writing is hiding little things for my friends/ family to read then waiting to see if they catch it. And, many times I’ve forgotten I’ve snuck them in there, so when I discover them again, they make me smile all over again.

If you want to know more about the books check out the blog tour stops and my reviews!

The Emerald Talisman review
The Sapphire Talisman review
Blog tour stops

In My Mailbox 88 (week of November 14)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades. =]

For review:

-Luka And The Fire Of Life by Salman Rushdie
-Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft (finished copy)
-Afterlife (Evernight #4) by Claudia Gray

Trade/borrowed:

-The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner
-The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson (signed)
-The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott (signed)
-The Haunted (Hollow #2) by Jessica Verday (borrowed)

I am so sorry about the lack of posts lately.  This semester of school is coming to an end and teachers are piling on the work.  I promise I will be back with regular posts very soon.

What was in your mailbox this week?

Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1) by Kiersten White

Book:  Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy #1)
Author:  Kiersten White
Published:  August 31, 2010 from HarperTeen
My edition/number of pages:  ARC/352

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  Yes.  First book.

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

I had heard that Kiersten White's debut novel was good but I had no idea just how good until I read it.  This year has been full of fantastic debuts and Kiersten White's is another one to add to the list.

Evie has always wanted to be normal.  She has always wanted to belong.  Working for the International Paranormalcy Containment Agency means that will never happen.  She will always be alone.  Then she meets Lend.  Well, actually, she captures him.  At first she just wants someone her own age to hang out with but eventually she just wants Lend.  Too bad something out there is killing paranormals and Evie has to find out what it is before it's too late.

Paranormalcy isn't one of those books that starts off with a lot of action but it does start off with a lot of humor.  Evie seemed lonely a lot of the time but it didn't seem to stop her from cracking jokes.  I liked that about her.  In the beginning it was one of the few things I liked about her but she did grow on me as I got more into the book.  Lend, on the other hand, I liked from the start.  He wasn't the typical love interest which intrigued me.  He was insecure, alone, and actually kind of vulnerable.  It was nice to read about a more realistic guy. 

The faeries were what made the book really interesting.  They had a major role in the story but they confused me a lot of the time.  They did finally become a little more clear at the end but I was lost at some parts.  The faery prophecy was very unique though and I definitely want to know more about it in the next book.

Overall, Paranormalcy is a fabulous book with a kick-ass heroine (the pink taser is awesome).  If you haven't already checked this one out, do so NOW!

First line:  "Wait - did you - You just yawned!"

Writing:  5

Characters:  5

Plot:  5

Ending:  5

Originality:  5

Overall:  25=A++

Cover:  5=A++ (Love the dress!)

Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Book:  Being Jamie Baker
Author:  Kelly Oram
Published:  June 14, 2010 from Bluefields Publishing
My edition/number of pages:  PB/353

Age group:  Young adult
Source:  Publisher
Series?:  Not that I know of.

An accident that should end in tragedy instead gives seventeen-year-old Jamie Baker a slew of uncontrollable superhuman abilities.

To keep her secret safe Jamie socially exiles herself, earning the title of Rocklin High’s resident ice queen. But during a supercharged encounter with star quarterback Ryan Miller she literally kisses anonymity goodbye. Now the annoyingly irresistible Ryan will stop at nothing to melt the heart of the ice queen and find out what makes her so special.

Unfortunately, Ryan is not the only person on to her secret. Will Jamie learn to contain her unstable powers before being discovered by the media or turned into a government lab rat?

More importantly, can she throw Ryan Miller off her trail before falling in love with him?

Being Jamie Baker was a refreshingly cute story.  I was pulled into the story with the very first sentence and from there it just got better.  I read straight through and I can't help but want more.

Jamie Baker is the Ice Queen.  That all changes when she kisses Ryan Miller.  She doesn't think it will change anything but she doesn't know Ryan.  That one kiss leaves him wanting more and he is not going to give up easily. Jamie would love to cave but she knows what could happen if she did.  She could kill Ryan.  The only problem is that Ryan isn't the only one trying to learn Jamie's secrets.  Someone else with much more sinister intentions is too.

Being Jamie Baker is an amazing book.  I loved how easy it was to be drawn into the story.  Jamie was such an honest character and she was going through so much.  I couldn't help but relate to her.  She wanted to be normal but she knew it would never happen.  She also knew that Ryan wouldn't give up.  He was so funny.  He was sexy, cocky, and so happy!  He lightened the mood of the book and I just loved reading about him and his relationship with Jamie.

The plot seemed a little slow at first but the book did not drag.  The reluctant romance really helped the pace of the book and I was never bored.  The plot picked up at the end and there were some surprises that I definitely didn't see coming.

Overall, Being Jamie Baker is an incredible debut novel from Kelly Oram.  It was a fun, light-hearted read and I can't wait to see what Kelly Oram has in store for readers next.

First line:  Most superhero stories start with a meteor shower or a nasty insect bite, but mine actually starts with a kiss.

Writing:  5

Characters:  4

Plot:  4

Ending:  5

Originality:  5

Overall:  23=A-

Cover:  5=A++

In My Mailbox 87 (week of November 6)

In My Mailbox is a meme created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie! It is a list of what books you have received over the previous week, either for review, from the library, from the bookstore, or from trades. =]

For review:

-I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena
-Switched by Amanda Hocking (signed)
-Prisoners In The Palace by Michaela MacColl
-The Space Between Trees by Katie Williams

Bought/gifted:

-The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
-The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jenks
-The House Of The Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

This week was a little slower for me so I have had some time to begin getting caught up on my reading.  I did get some great books though.  I am so excited to read Prisoners In The Palace and The House Of The Scorpion is one of my favorites.  

What was in your mailbox this week?